Blogs

Home Builder’s Sentiment in The U.S. Remains High in March

By Miles Wiseman posted 3 hours ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
“The slowdown in the real estate market towards the end of 2018 didn’t just bring about a lucrative spring home buying season in 2019, it also gave the home building sector a sort of breathing space.” It could be recalled that the housing market in 2018 wasn’t the best the country could hope for. There were speculations that a major crash is around the corner as people stopped buying homes and lenders were finding it hard to secure applications. The surging interest rates were a major cause of the setback in 2018 and thanks to a couple of amendments on the part of policymakers, 2019 is looking to be a great year for real estate investment in the country. ...
0 comments

Have you ever emailed yourself?

By A. Lira V. Luis AIA posted 7 hours ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
I bet you’re a bit like me, sometimes when I see an article I’d like to read later, I email it to myself by filling up a simple form from the article website with my email address. When you retrieve it from your inbox, you realize there is another email sent to yourself. You open it and know immediately that you didn’t send it. Yet, the email appears to come from your email address! This is when Email Spoofing occurs. Someone has modified the email header so the message appears to come from somewhere other than the actual source. It’s a tactic used to make people open an email because they think it has been sent by a legitimate source or someone they would ...
0 comments

Editor's corner

By Kimberly N. Montague AIA posted 4 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
If you have never attended AIA Grassroots , you should. I had the honor and privilege to attend on behalf of AIA Detroit this year as Past-President. While many of the individual sessions are typically organized for emerging leaders; such as presentation skills, strategic planning and the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program , the biggest take-away I had from the conference was two-fold: professional networking and community leadership . Having the opportunity to network with other architects from around the country who are not solely involved in healthcare was an invaluable experience; I used the time wisely to promote the work our KC is ...
0 comments

Partner highlight: Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI)

By Mayda V. Colon AIA posted 4 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Dear Academy Community, Have you heard about the FGI? How they started? How they function today? How our experience helps support the guidelines development? We have all heard about the FGI Guidelines, we reference them, codes and jurisdictions having authority reference them, and owners reference them. The Guidelines are part of our lives in healthcare facility planning and design. Which means we know them by heart, we know what works and what can be improved, we know we can influence the next edition. The Facility Guidelines Institute was founded in 1998 to stabilize the Guidelines revision process, placing responsibility for updating the document in ...
0 comments

Codes and Standards: March Tip of the Month

By Tina Louise Duncan AIA posted 4 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
The Guidelines for Design and Construction , as published by the Facilities Guideline Institute (FGI), now comes in three separate volumes for the 2018 Edition. Those three editions cover Hospitals, Outpatient Facilities , and Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities . The primary reason for the establishment of three volumes is to respond to the changing way healthcare is being delivered.  The original Guidelines were established at a time when the three basic types of healthcare buildings were hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, and residential care, with the basic requirement of each fitting into one simple volume. Since then, healthcare ...
0 comments

Learning in Las Vegas: COTE and sustainability sessions

By Paola Capo posted 5 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
With so many amazing sessions and events at the AIA Conference on Architecture, deciding which ones to attend can be overwhelming! We've put together a list of unparalleled sustainability education and networking events at Conference!  Attend the COTE ® Open Forum to learn more about the Top Ten Toolkit or the COTE ® Top Ten Toast to learn more about the 2018 award winners. You can also join COTE ® Advisory Group members and leaders at other great sessions and events: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5 Setting the Stage for High-Performance With an Integrated Design Charrette WE109 - June 5 at 8:00am - 12:00pm | 3.75 LUs/HSW/GBCI/RIBA | $260 High-performing ...
0 comments

Architecture's big implications and possibilities

By Kira L. Gould posted 5 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Victor Olgyay, AIA, LEED AP, says that he has focused his career on “making buildings part of the climate solution.” He’s a principal at Rocky Mountain Institute, and now he’s bringing his perspective to the AIA Committee on the Environment. He is a new Advisory Group member this year. “I’ve always been more interested in the implications of architecture than the aesthetics per se,” he says. “I dwell on the E.F. Schumacher side of things.” (The late German economist’s 1973 book, Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered , has been hailed as hugely significant; for sustainability thinkers, it is a classic.) Olgyay and ...
0 comments

Advocacy update: connecting on Capitol Hill

By Michael R. Davis FAIA posted 5 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
As Marsha Maytum, FAIA, notes in her letter, the annual face-to-face gathering of the AIA COTE Advisory Group at AIA in Washington was book-ended by meetings with House and Senate leadership on Capitol Hill. On Monday morning, February 25, and Tuesday afternoon, February 26, AIA Federal Relations staff joined COTE AG members in conversations with senior staff for Speaker of the House Representative Pelosi (D-CA); Senate Minority Leader Senator Schumer (D-NY); Majority Committee staff from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chaired by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); Representative Sean Casten (D-IL), who serves on the new House Select Committee on the Climate ...
0 comments

Big impacts from "small" actions

By Carl Elefante FAIA posted 5 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
As an architect, do you think of routine maintenance and periodic upgrading of buildings as design? It is. In fact, over the next generation of architectural practice, maintaining and upgrading buildings will be one of the greatest challenges facing the clients and communities we serve and one of the most important contributions our profession will make to sustainability, resiliency, and climate action.  Appreciating these truths starts with understanding the tremendous avalanche of buildings that have been created over the last several decades. The United States experienced an historic explosion of population and economic growth after World War II. In ...
0 comments

Letter from the Chair-

By Marsha A. Maytum FAIA posted 5 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Dear COTE Colleagues: COTE Goes to Washington! The COTE Advisory Group (AG) met last month at AIA headquarters to set the priorities for this year and to take our message to Congress. Just prior to our meeting, the AIA Board and AIA Senior Leadership announced their intent to focus the Institute on climate action, resilience and sustainability. As Robert Ivy stated to the assembled AIA Board members and Committee leaders, “now is the time for bold action.”  Members of the COTE AG took the charge and met with members in both the Senate and the House, Democrats and Republicans. We urged Congressional leaders (see more detail in the Advocacy Update [LINK] ...
0 comments

Join the AIA Code Review Team

By Paul Karrer posted 7 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
We are seeking AIA members interested in participating in the AIA Code Review Team evaluating code change proposals during the International Code Council (ICC) model code development cycle. This includes members who are:   Current and former members of the AIA National Codes and Standards Committee; Previous participants of the AIA Code Review Team during previous ICC code development cycles; Contacts of the AIA Codes Advocacy Program who have expressed interest in model code development; and/or Colleagues of members from the categories above who have recommended you as potentially interested participants.   This effort is vital to the AIA’s ...
0 comments

The small firm guide to A'19

By Amanda Jennings posted 7 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
The Small Firm Exchange has curated a lineup of workshops, seminars, and events most relevant to small firm leaders at this year’s AIA Conference on Architecture. This collection of education and networking opportunities is tailored to help small firms – to address challenges with technology, contracts, sustainability, residential claims, management demands – and your future. Join us in Las Vegas, June 5–8. Register here > Wednesday, June 5 8 - 12pm | WE103 | An Architect's Internal "Legal" Practices Workshop 8 - 12pm | WE101 | The Business of Architecture: Tools for a Profitable Practice 1 - 5pm | WE301 | The Marketing of Architecture: ...
0 comments

Small Project Design Letter from the Chair

By Melissa J. Harlan AIA posted 11 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
March 2019 finds us hoping for Spring and excited about the future of our Knowledge Community. We held our leadership planning retreat on a bitterly cold February day in St. Louis and are excited to announce several changes that you will see over the coming year.  We reflected on our mission, our value to our members, and our place within the greater AIA body.  Out of this, we have a new name, a new mission statement, and a focused agenda for programming. Our new name, Small Project Design , and new mission statement clarify our purpose and differentiate us from other AIA member groups, namely Small Firm Exchange (SFx). Our new mission statement is: AIA ...
1 comment

Innovators & Maintainers Conference Discussion Panel

By Ann Kirsten Thompson posted 12 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
At COD's Innovators & Maintainers Conference, April 4-7, we'll convene a panel with Google, Apple and Stanford University to discuss the issues that arise when regional infrastructure does not stay ahead of growth. We'll learn how they are managing these issues and the innovations they are employing to meet their company’s goals. Image courtesy of DMV.org To read more about the Bay Area's job growth and infrastructure consequences, here is a link to the SPUR Report- Rethinking The Corporate Campus: https://www.spur.org/sites/default/files/publications_pdfs/SPUR_Rethinking_the_Corporate-Campus.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2ZpHGFQQdXiO0_G60KpPxmhGwgUP2qBxamnf27H1KCIbHDl0LQ_m-z_tk ...
0 comments

An interview with Luanne Carleton, AIA

By Susan Brain AIA posted 13 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
With over 30 years of industry experience, Luanne serves as a Creative Managing Director for the Retail + Mixed-Use Destinations studio. She has been with Nelson for 12 years working with world-class brands including, Hilton, Spotify, Lotte, Isaac Wiles, Great American Insurance, and Busch Gardens. She currently is leading design efforts on new projects and renovations with GGP, Macerich, DDR, Washington Prime Group, Cordish, and Simon Premium Outlets. Luanne has a special focus in Interior Architecture and is currently serving on a member of the Leadership Group for the Interior Architecture Knowledge Community for AIA. As you prepare to Chair the AIA National ...
0 comments

Bathroom Design Trends for 2019

By Henric Lindholm posted 14 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, new trends emerge! This year has quite some surprises in store for us when it comes to bathroom designs, though you’ll be glad to hear that some fashions which have caught on in the recent years are still very much present, too. Without further ado, here is what you can expect to see in a contemporary 2019 bathroom. Open concept You’ve noticed how open plan offices have gradually replaced old-fashioned cubicles. Well, the same may be happening to our bathrooms and bedrooms, but it only makes sense if your apartment or house is big enough to convey that sense of open space and luxury. Classic spa However, ...
0 comments

Bay vs Bow Windows: Which style is best for your home?

By Haris Saeed posted 15 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Bay and Bow windows may look the same at first glance. Both types give the appearance of more space in the room and allow more light to enter. If you need replacing and repairing wood windows in your home, you may want to consider installing a bay or bow window. A new bay or bow window will immediately become the focus of the room. These windows contain a shell that projects outside the house and three or more panels of windows. They can completely transform the inside and outside of the home. What is the difference? Even though they both look the same, there are a few differences: A bay window usually has three openings with angled projections ...
0 comments

What does it really cost to live in Brooklyn?

By Haris Saeed posted 15 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Brooklyn used to be known as an escape from Manhattans expensive real estate prices. However, nowadays it is the second most expensive place to live in the nation. Some of the neighbourhoods like Brooklyn heights and DUMBO are pricier than living across the East River. There are a few good deals to consider, especially with apartments that offer communal living spaces in New York . Neighbourhoods to consider Williamsburg – This town has expanded to Greenpoint and consists of an expanding restaurant and bar scene which is indicative of a shift. Red hook – This is another neighbourhood to consider as it is becoming more affordable and accessible. ...
0 comments

Seven steps to help your customers make tough buying decisions

By Kenny Isidoro posted 18 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
This past holiday season, retail sales were the best they’ve been in recent history. And now that the holidays are behind us, let’s reflect on our shopping. Whether you picked out a gift for your significant other, or your parents, or a coworker, the possibilities that were presented to you were absolutely endless. So how did you decide? Why do we all come to the decisions we make when we buy stuff? To start to understand why we buy, it’s important to understand how we buy. While there are many influences on our purchasing decisions, consumers buy to fulfill a need through the purchase of goods. Simple. But there’s a significant difference in how we approach ...
0 comments

Henry Ford Health System Pistons Performance Center

By Sande R. Frisen AIA posted 18 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
South aerial; Image: ROSSETTI As NBA training facilities continue to move back into urban areas, it is critical for planners and architects to consider the urban context outside the venue just as much or even more than the venue features themselves. In order for the facilities we build in urban areas to benefit its neighborhood, we must consider how the venue relates to its surroundings: the existing buildings, the street network, and the people. With the return of the Detroit Pistons from the suburbs to Downtown Detroit in 2017, designing the team’s new training facility became an opportunity to reenergize the franchise’s relationship with the city ...
0 comments